BIS Releases New Standard To Bolster Bomb Disposal Safety

New Delhi: Being aware of the fact that the Indian Armed Forces, Central Armed Police Forces, and State Police are often confronted by the threats of unexploded ordnance, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), and hand grenades in conflict zones, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has come up with Bomb Disposal Systems - Performance Evaluation and Requirements.

This new standard, IS 19445:2025, specifies qualitative requirements and related test methods to evaluate the blast mitigation and fragment arresting capability applicable for various types of bomb disposal systems, including bomb blanket, bomb basket and bomb inhibitor, particularly with respect to blast loads and splinter effects.

Released by Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi, on National Consumer Day, the standard provides a definitive technical roadmap that serves as a reference for test sponsors, manufacturers, and accredited testing agencies by defining test methodologies, apparatus, test specimens, and acceptance criteria.

"It is intended for voluntary adoption by procurement agencies, manufacturers, and testing bodies. The guidelines were developed following requests from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Terminal Ballistic Research Laboratory (TBRL) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)," the BIS said.

Enhancing Operational Safety and ‘Make in India’

The Indian Armed Forces, Central Armed Police Forces, and State Police are often confronted by the threats of unexploded ordnance, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), and hand grenades in conflict zones. Historically, international standards for bomb disposal equipment have been difficult to access or poorly aligned with the specific munitions and environmental conditions unique to the Indian subcontinent.

The implementation of IS 19445:2025 bridges this gap with enhanced safety of operators, first responders, and bystanders; a transparent and uniform basis for procurement, testing, and certification; support for indigenous development and innovation under the Make in India; and improved reliability and interoperability of equipment deployed across agencies

A unified approach to Standard formulation

The formulation of this standard reflects a collective and collaborative approach, spearheaded by the Bomb Disposal Systems Panel (PGD 28/P1) under the BIS Sectional Committee for Arms and Ammunition for Civilian Use (PGD 28).

Working under the convenorship of the TBRL, DRDO, the process integrated insights from a diverse range of stakeholders. Key contributors included defence and internal security agencies such as the DRDO, National Security Guard (NSG), Military Engineer Services (MES), Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA), and Central Armed Police Forces; Central and State Police authorities; Airports Authority of India (AAI), National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC); and prestigious Research and Development institutions (R&D), including Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D), National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), TBRL, and National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU). The effort was further bolstered by the participation of public and private sector manufacturers alongside testing and certification experts.

“The release of this standard reaffirms the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)’s commitment to national security and technological self-reliance. By providing a technical foundation for the 'Make in India' initiative, BIS continues to advance national priorities, ensuring that India’s security infrastructure is built on a bedrock of precision, reliability, and indigenous innovation,” the BIS stated.

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